La protagonista de la historia “robo en la noche ” es Makenna. Makenna tiene quince años y tiene un padre se llama David y una hermana se llama Alex. Alex es una estudiante; en la universidad. Su madre murió en un accidente. Makenna está muy triste porque ella la extraña a su madre. Makenna es de Michigan y vive en Costa Rica con su padre porque él tiene un trabajo del allí. David es un ecólogo; Makenna dejó su caballo, Bender, en Michigan y está triste por que su caballo es su mejor amigo. Makenna es trabajadora y amable. A Makenna le gusta cuidar de los animales y no le gusta la idea de tener otro madre.

• Me gustaría nadar en el océano en Costa Rica.
• Me gustaría visitar Mount Verde Cloud Forest.
• Me gustaría disfrustar la flora y fauna en Costa Rica.
• Me gustaría comer todos los frutas y vegetales en Costa Rica.
• Me gustaría visitar y explorar el volcán Arenal.
• Me gustaría zip-line encima del bosque para ver naturaleza.

Brady stared at the crumbled house his parents owned. The windows were cracked, the wooden door was rotten, and the roof was ripped open. His family owned one bedroom with one bed. His dad and mom would sleep on the bed and Brady would sleep on the cold,concrete underneath him. He dreamt of the day he would actually be able to sleep on a bed, be able to eat what he wanted when he wanted, and to live by himself. He hated living with his parents. His parents were slobs he would always say to himself. They didn’t care about his health or conditions, all they cared about were themselves. All he wanted to do was leave this terrible place they call “Home” and today was that day. This day gave him hope that he could begin his journey to become a person better than his mom and dad ever was. Today marked his adventure into the unknown where he could begin his bright future. He would never become like his parents. His parents were his motivation to be the exact opposite. He pledged to himself that he would never be like his parents. He began to walk out the rotten door, his parents sitting on the bed, not saying a thing upon his departure. Brady turned around and stated, “I hope you two do something with your life you slobs, I won’t miss you.” He slammed the door and walked away, not feeling any regret for what he said.

In “The House on Mango Street” by Sandra Cisneros, the author establishes many important quotes that are thought-provoking and deliver real-world messages to the audience. One quote, in particular, captures my attention. For example, Esperanza states that, “Until [my sister grows older] I am a red balloon, a balloon tied to an anchor” (Cisneros 9). This quote, I believe, is a five star quote because it relates to what many people feel like in the real world. Everyone at one point or another feels trapped and can’t be released to do and say whatever they want. They are tied down and want to be free. The reason Esperanza states that she is a “red balloon” is because she believes she stands out from the rest of the neighborhood and, since she just moved in, she doesn’t have any new friends. She can’t tell her secrets to anyone because her sister is too young and she doesn’t have anyone whom she can trust. She is a suspenseful balloon isolated from the rest of the world. Even though Esperanza becomes friends with Lucy and Rachel later in the story, she is still that same red balloon that can’t tell her best friends even her darkest secrets. These secrets and thoughts she can’t tell her friends are anchoring her down into despair and making her feel as if she doesn’t belong to Mango. She feels as if she is different than everyone else at Mango Street and wants to float away from Mango. She finds out by the end of the story that she is like everyone else and realizes that she cannot float away from her neighborhood. She will leave Mango Street temporarily but will never leave it forever.

Dear Sally,

Do you still enjoy the idea of being married before the eighth grade? “[Sitting] at home because [you’re] afraid to go outside without his permission” (Cisneros 102). One of the most upsetting things I’ve heard. You weren’t ready to get married Sally. You were too young and too immature. You didn’t know anything about marriage considering all the actions you’ve taken in the past. Are you really in love Sally? It’s really hard to believe that a person, not even in the eighth grade, knows when their true love has arrived. Everyone thinks that you married just so you could escape, but look where you are. You’re trapped in a house with no freedom. “[You’re husband] won’t let [you] talk on the telephone. And he doesn’t let [you] look out the window. And he doesn’t like [your] friends, so nobody gets to visit [you] unless he is working” (101-102). You’re alone Sally. Every part of your life is controlled by him. You can’t escape by marrying someone you hardly knew, you just got yourself in a worst boat. Also, Sally are you really happy? I know you say you are happy, but I can’t believe you are truly happy with everything that you are having to go through. You’re like a slave and have no friends. You’re isolated from the rest of the world and have no control over anything. I truly feel sorry for you, Sally. I hope you somehow make your life better and make the right decisions later in your life.

My Dearest Farewell, Michael

In “The House on Mango Street” by Sandra Cisneros, the theme of maturity/growth is explored through her excellent use of symbolism. Esperanza discovers that she must know what to do with her “hips” in order to lure the boys. For example, Esperanza states,”You gotta be able to know what to do with hips when you get them, I say making it up as I go” (Cisneros 50). Esperanza is now at the stage where she is paying attention to boys and want these boys to notice her. These hips are a symbol of sexuality as she wants the boys to notice her and say,”D***! Look at her move those hips!” She’s no longer the girl that is afraid of boys. Also, Esperanza uncovers the secret to “moving your hip” as she declares,”[Your hips] gotta be just so, not too fast and not too slow. Not too fast and not too slow” (50). When a girl moves her hips, you can’t move them too much or you look like a snob trying to impress a guy off, but if you move them not enough, the guys won’t notice you and you will be doing all that effort for nothing. Moving your hips requires a precise measurement to the left and right and Esperanza recognizes this precise movement she must make in order to get the guys to be alerted of her presence. Thus, through the symbolism of girl’s hips, the audience is able to recognize the maturity and growth Esperanza has developed in her life.

In “The House on Mango Street,” by Sandra Cisneros, the thematic motif of poverty is explored throughout the story by Ezperanza’s environment and lifestyle.
At the beginning of the story, the family’s state of poverty is visualized as Ezperanza’s house was characterized. The house had “bricks [that were] crumbling in places, and the front door [was] so swollen you[‘d] have to push hard to get in (Cisneros 4).” This establishes the constant battle they have with this hardship and the depth of poverty the family is in as the house they own is falling apart. They don’t own enough money to have a house that is actually functional and stable. Also, the house’s description is explained deeper as “the paint [was] peeling, [and] wooden bars Papa had nailed on the windows so [the family] wouldn’t fall out (5).” This house represents nothing but a sign of poverty. It’s as if no one lives there, but the family is in such poverty that they can’t do anything to make the house look as if there is a living soul inside. The house symbolizes the family as the family is broken and torn apart as well. The family keeps moving from house to house in attempt to repair their poor condition, but it never gets better.
In the middle of the story, the theme of poverty is represented through Ezperanza’s living conditions. For example, Ezperanza pointed her house to Sister Supreme, “That one? [Sister Supreme] said, pointing to a row of ugly three-flats, the ones even the raggedy men are ashamed to go into (45).” The family’s state of poverty is so bad that they can’t repair their house to the point that the raggedy men would even want to live in. The men that live on streets and have terrible clothes are more proud living without a roof on their head than living at that house. In addition, the story states that “[Ezperanza] needed money (55).” This visualizes, plain and simple, that the family is poor. She needed money desperately, so she decided to lie about her age and get a job. Her family needed change and she decided that she would start it.
The thematic motif of poverty is expressed at the end of the story through a man’s dedication for his family and Ezperanza’s realization of the state of poverty her family is in. For example, “[The man] worked two jobs. He came home late and he left early. Every day (76).” Now, no one in his or her right mind would want to work. This man has to work two jobs in order to support his family. He never got a single day off. He worked continuously from bright and early to late at night to try to gain as much money as possible. Also, Alicia states, “You (Ezperanza) live right here, and points to the house I am ashamed of (91).” The fact that Ezperanza was ashamed of her own house, as a teenager, represents the sense of poverty she has within herself. The house that the raggedy men were ashamed of, the one with the paint peeling off, and the one with broken windows; this is a symbolism of the extreme depth of poverty her family is in. Everything around them is shameful and poor, her environment, Mango Street, and her identity.
Thus, throughout the entire story, the thematic motif of poverty is visualized and described by the environment and conditions of characters. They had to live through this hardship and face it head on, and whether they wanted to change their identity or not was their choice.

“Swimmers take your mark… Bang!” the official announced as I dove in as quick as a lightning bolt. My shaved legs and arms sliced through the water and, quickly, I began my body-dolphin and slingshotted past my opponents, except one. The feeling I had made me feel invincible. Unfortunately, this opponent was ranked first in the 200 freestyle and wasn’t going to be an easy battle to overcome, but I planned to exterminate that record. We both pulled up with amazing strength and the first 50 of the 200 meter swim was under way.
Our kicks bursted the water and created a wave of water behind us, my pull felt as if I had webbed hands, and my heart was racing at a million miles per hour. I took my first breath to my right and saw the number one ranked swimmer next to me.
I thought to myself, “I am going to have to go out at about 95% my first two laps, then my 3rd lap I’m going to press the envelope, and my last lap I’m going to go all or nothing; bring it home.”
I began to activate my plan. I made sure that I wasn’t going out to fast, but I wasn’t holding back to much. I looked straight down at the pool and breathed to my left and right every three strokes to make sure I kept my stroke balanced and to watch my true opponent. He flipped turn next to me and we both flew off the wall, eyeing each other. Again, our body-dolphin made us slingshot through the water and we exploded up with a wave of adrenaline.
“This… is starting… to hurt! Am I taking this out too fast?” I thought to myself as I began swimming my second lap.
I breathed to my left and glimpsed at my opponent who also glimpsed at me. His eyes seeked determination to still be the champion, but what he didn’t know was that he was the prey and I was the predator. I started to pick up the pace as we were reaching the wall and we were neck and neck. Flip turning into the halfway mark, I began to feel the pain creeping up on me like a lion seeking its prey. My body dolphin didn’t slingshot me like my competition did and I fell half a body length behind.
At this point, I thought, “This is it. It’s over. I lost.”
I breathed to my right and a spark of light came over me as I saw my coach screaming, “GO!”
“He still had determination that I could win this,” I thought, “I can do this!”
Despite the excruciating pain in my arms and legs, I opened the envelope and started to kick like a motor boat engine. Slowly, I caught up to him and the wall was upon us. We flipped turned with speed and flew off the wall. The last lap was underway.
The pain was unbearable, my arms felt like they were ton weights slamming against the water and my legs felt like jelly, but I realized that’s what practice is all about. To get use to the pain and be able to overcome it to become successful.
I changed my breathing pattern to strictly watch him. We were both breaking from the agonizing pain, but now was the time where I broke his heart and took the lead. With everything I had, I pulled deeper and kicked harder. Only 20 meters left. He catched my move and swam along with me. Ten meters left. I held my breath for the final strokes. Five meters left. This is where most swims are decided. Thud! I hit the wall and stared at the placement and I won by .01 seconds! I overcame pain and won! 

My one true friend. The one who has always been there for me through the ups and downs. The one who I can tell anything to. The one who will play any game with me, no matter how ridiculous it is, and can talk about anything in the world. This man’s name is Cody. Met him when I moved to White Oak in the fourth grade, our friendship didn’t start off great. I would bully him by poking his side aggressively and I would’t stop no matter how many times he would say stop. Fortunately, I came to my senses and stopped bullying him. From that point on, we became closer and closer until we became best friends. He is my bro and I am his bro. He helps me through any situation I tell him about and I do my best to help him through any situation he tells me about. Without him, my life wouldn’t be the same. He is a big, strong man that does not use his strength to bully people around. He has aqua blue eyes, black hair, and has two missing teeth. He may not possess the smartest traits, but he has great common sense and can do anything if he sets his mind to it. He is a man of his word and knows how to treat people right. Inside his “non-senstitve” body he owns a sensitive heart and when he cares about something, he will do anything and everything to protect it. He is one-of-a-kind and he is my one true friend.